Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball during warm ups before the game against the Buffalo Bills in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Lamar Jackson helped the Baltimore Ravens make NFL history on the first drive of the AFC Divisional against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
With a nine-yard run on 3rd and 8, Jackson surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the 2024 campaign, making the Ravens the first team to ever have a 1,000-yard rusher and a 2,000-yard rusher in the same season (regular season and playoffs). Baltimore running back Derrick Henry had 325 attempts for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns during the regular season before crossing the 2,000-yard mark in the AFC Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers with 26 carries for 186 yards and two scores.
As for Jackson, he had 139 carries for 915 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season before adding 15 carries for 81 rushing yards against Pittsburgh.
Jackson finished the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, who is essentially Baltimore’s No. 1 receiver vs. Buffalo with Zay Flowers out due to injury. Jackson showed early on why Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver brought up comparisons to Kobe Bryant when talking about preparing to defend the star quarterback.
“Our coach said something that really stuck with me: ‘He’s like Kobe Bryant. … Kobe Bryant’s gonna get his at some point.’ And that was a great analogy,” Oliver said. “Lamar’s gonna get his at some point. And we know that. And everybody watching knows that.”
Jackson and Henry will need to be at their best in order to send the Ravens to the AFC Championship.
“We want to win,” Henry said per the team’s website. “It’s a divisional [playoff] game. We’re trying to get to the next round – the AFC Championship. It’s a great opponent and a really good team, and yes, it’s going to be a heavyweight fight.”